Tag Archives: Michael mcNamara TD

The Competition Authority is to investigate a complaint from Clare TD Michael McNamara about Irish regulations that restrict the export of live cattle by boat. McNamara had previously complained in the Dáil that the Irish regulations governing the transport of live animals posed an unnecessary barrier to trade in live animals and were contrary to EU free competition. Deputy McNamara said that because of falling beef prices in Irish farming, he has complained to the European Commission and to the Competition Authority that the licensing of boats from Ireland servicing the live cattle trade is far stricter than those applying in other EU countries and that boats licensed in other EU member states could not operate in Ireland. “I am very pleased that the Competition Authority will examine this situation. In the last Dáil session, I tabled a parliamentary question asking how many boats were licensed to take cattle to Libya and the Minister [ for Agriculture] very proudly told me …

June 26, 2014Comments Off on Pension reference should go from Shannon Bill

Proposals in respect of pension rights for airport workers in a Bill currently before Dáil Eireann “have no relevance” for the future of Shannon, it has been claimed. The State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014, will establish Shannon Group PLC on a statutory basis and will incorporate both the Shannon Airport Authority and Shannon Development “The Bill contains proposals which will affect pension rights of workers and former workers, not only in Shannon but also those who worked for Aer Rianta/DAA and Aer Lingus in other airports in the State,” ClareDeputy Michael McNamara noted “These proposals have no particular relevance to the future of Shannon Airport and they would seem to me to be misplaced in a Bill, the title of which suggests, is primarily about Shannon. Therefore, I would like to see these proposals removed from Bill, so that they can be discussed further, without causing delay to the passage of the provisions which concern Shannon specifically. “Undoubtedly, this Bill marks …

May 7, 2014Comments Off on McNamara welcomes commitment on legal reform

CLARE TD, Michael NcNamara has welcomed a commitment from the Taoiseach that reform of the legal sector will go ahead. He was speaking in the Dáil after the resignation of Alan Shatter as Minister for Justice. “Unlike many, but not all on the backbenches of this House, I am more concerned with policies than personalities. Earlier this week the Cabinet agreed a mechanism for charging for water in the fairest way possible. It did so because it was part of the memorandum agreed with the Troika by the previous government. So too, was reform of the legal sector. Taoiseach, I want a commitment from you that this Government will not confine its reforms to those which affect the poor but will also carry out reforms that affect the wealthiest and most powerful sectors of our society. I want a commitment that the Legal Services Bill will proceed to Report Stage,” the Labour deputy said. Taoiseach Enda Kenny replied: “You have …

CLARE Labour TD, Michael McNamara, will this afternoon chair a parliamentary hearing in Strasbourg on mass surveillance, which will include a live video-link from Moscow with US whistleblower Edward Snowden. The video-link at the hearing on mass surveillance takes placethis afternoon at a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg. Other participants at the hearing include the former head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service Hansjarg Geiger, who wants to regulate intelligence activities between friendly states, and London-based international law professor Douwe Korff. Deputy McNamara said: “Edward Snowden has triggered a worldwide debate on whistleblowers and that debate has fed into our internal discussions here. Given the recent controversies surrounding the practice of whistleblowing in Ireland, I hope to glean some interesting insights from today’s hearing in general. I’ll also be using the session to ask about the ECJ’s recent judgment on the invalidity of the data retention directive in Ireland and the implications it …